May 2014 Birchbox Review

*Includes Referral Links

There was a delay shipping this month and my box didn't arrive until the 22nd.  I got an email saying it went out on the 12th but it took took ten days to make it to me.  I hate waiting, but one the upside this month's box was essentially more than free!

Birchbox gave me 100 points to make up for the delay and 100 points = $10, the price of a  monthly box.  There were five samples in my May box and since I reviewed each one I also got a total of 50 more points or $5 to spend in the Birchbox store.  That's 15 bucks I can spend at Birchbox, so while it was hard waiting while seeing what everyone else got, that's a pretty sweet bonus!

Once it finally got here, I took a quick picture for Instagram, but then pretty much separated everything right away so I don't have nice photos of each sample this time.  I'll just go from left to right as I describe each one.

Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Overnight Detox Oil (full size $65): My mom gave me a sample of another serum awhile ago and I really liked how it made my skin feel.  The difference was pretty noticeable and I'm almost out of it.  So this was a great time to get a new sample to try out.  It's supposed to help with cellular turnover while you sleep and while the vial it comes is similar to a fragrance sample size I know from past samples this will actually last several uses.

I stopped using the other sample, waited a few days and then began using this Caudalie product.  I'm happy with how it's softens my skin and makes it feel much nicer than otherwise.  I think this type of product is definitely going to have to be added to my bedtime routine.

SmartyPants All-in-One Gummy Vitamins for Adults (full size $29.99): I already take a couple of vitamins recommended by my endocrinologist at specific amounts so I'm not likely to switch things up.  Plus there are 8g of sugars per serving, I'm diabetic, so these are out for me anyway.  They are designed to streamline your daily supplements so maybe that's why they are so expensive for a monthly supply.  I do think that they are a good alternative if you aren't going to take vitamins any other way.  They are just like eating candy.

Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Foundation Primer (full size $36): This is the first Smashbox product I've ever tried and I'm pretty impressed.  I don't always bother with a primer other than under eye shadow but I have been wanting to add one for the warmer weather when make up is more likely to slide right off my face.  This is oil free and I thought it worked great the two times I've used it so far.  I'm going to hold off on using it again until it gets a little warmer so I can see if it's worth getting a full size for the summer months.

COOLA Environmental Repair Plus® Radical Recovery™ After-Sun Lotion (full size $32): I try to avoid ever getting a sun burn but hey, it happens!  We spent an hour baking in the sun before our town's Memorial Day parade last week and then another 20 for the actual parade.  My nose got a little red and this did help sooth the inflamed skin.  My husband is the most prone to getting too much sun in our family so I will be keeping this on hand for him.

PIXI Beauty Shea Butter Lip Balm (full size $8): This is the product I was most excited about because I really liked the primer I got in my March ipsy bag.  Pixi can be found at Target so it's not as high end of a brand as usually found in Birchboxes but I still think of it as nicer than most mass retail brands so I was quite happy to see it.

I'm a bit of a lip balm junkie and my favorite category of lip products are balms like this, ones that provide a wash or hint of color without the heaviness of lipstick.  I really liked the Coral Crush color a lot.  It's very fresh for spring and summer.  It's so pretty and flattering on.  I am planning to pick it up in Pixie Pink too.

So that's my Birchbox for May, did anyone else have their box delayed?  I am finding that even if the sample sizes are smaller than what I get from ipsy their rewards system is much better.  I have gotten to try higher end products I wouldn't drop money on a whim.  It's so much nicer to get to try them out and then get a discount of them using Birchbox points!

If you decide to give it a go, please consider using my referral link.  I'd really appreciate it if you do!